Bonding

[Sommer]

Okay I already posted this but I think I put it in the wrong spot. I tend to search the site for things and then try to speak under what I found and then I realize it's probably not a current thread. I'm curious about something that keeps popping out. You say a squirrel will choose one person. Now this is the first time I'm raising and soft releasing my squirrel with other people wanting to get involved. Before it has always just been me and the squirrels I'm raising so they never had an option of picking another person. Except for when I was a kid and I don't remember them preferring one person, they seemed to know our family but be more wary of strangers. Do they always pick the person who feeds and cares for them or do they sometimes latch onto another family member who only plays with them? I'd hate to start getting a bad attitude from her when she is not done being cared for as I don't see care commitment or desire in my husband, he just likes to hold her and I'm sure will play with her when her eyes are open.

[Sommer]

Ok I accidentally deleted. I have been raising squirrels for over 25 years but most of my experience is the hard round the clock care of infants. I've volunteered with many and have also done about 10 at home. Never lived at a place I could soft release so the teenagers went to wildlife care when it was time for the big cage and impending release. Last time I've done soft release was when I was a teenager. Don't remember it being an issue then. Lately I have read more than enough stories about this territorial attitude to be concerned about her deciding I'm not her BFF anymore while I still need to care for her. Is that silly or a good possibility?

[Sommer]

I don't mind the help on the social attention and play she'll need when her eyes are open but should I tell my husband he should not cuddle her and play with her unless he is up for cleaning cages and care if she decides she wants him to do it or will it more than likely be me because I feed her and care for her?

[Sommer]

None of the babies we brought to adulthood were ever nasty with us. But from what I've read this is definitely a thing and I've seen some pretty gruesome pictures.

[Sommer]

I'm truly sorry for rambling on guys. I'm probably driving y'all crazy. But I have excelled with dogs mostly by becoming very knowledgeable on behavior and handling. So I understand how important it is. But I know dogs. Not so much squirrels beyond infancy. Now that I live way out in the country this will probably not be the last soft release I do. I don't want to screw up. My husband loves animals but mostly playing with them, not so much getting roped into their care or long term accountability. I want it to go well for all because it seems every year someone comes to me with a squirrel and I don't have to take them to the wildlife center when they're teenagers anymore. In fact I have a prime set up for them now. I even have a shop here, so I work at home. Going to have to start learning a new phase if I'm going to do this right. And annoyingly, I'm just one of those people who can't stop digging.

[Mel1959]

I have always been the primary caregiver with any squirrels that have been in the house. I do all the feeding, cage cleaning, even cuddling etc. My husband is the primary play partner. When the squirrel is old enough to need out of cage time he is the primary one to interact with them. We have always taken them into our large master bath and let them jump on towel bars, light bars and on us. We even put a cat tree in there for them to play on (supervised, of course). I will spend some time in there with him as they play, but not always. We have never had a problem with any squirrel choosing one of us over the other at this age. I think that behavior manifests itself in a squirrel that is older and not being released. Even then, it’s not always the case.

[Sommer]

Okay, I was sort of getting that feeling by what I read. And to be honest I wouldn't care if I thought my husband was up for the routine maintenance and care. I guess I just wasn't really understanding on what percent of the human raised squirrel population posed this kind of problem. I wasn't even aware this was common until I started searching out squirrel care beyond infancy. But I thought, this is a good way to put an end to my new endeavors if I don't think about it now. Knowing dogs I know that instances like this are usually due to lack of knowledge and understanding. But these are wild animals. Any other wild animals I raised like birds rabbits and so on are so quick to be released I've never had to worry about it. Like I said, my husband is an animal lover and he loves to play with him. But when they start creating complications he's not great. And I would like to be able to do this whenever I need to and be completely prepared for what may come.

[Sommer]

If this is only a minimal complication when you plan on raising and soft releasing a baby properly I'm not going to fret over it. But I know it's up to the squirrel on how soft that release is...

[Sommer]

I definitely don't want her to be good on one front and a menace to society on the other. And my experience they have been pretty good nature. But my goodness, in exploring the beyond infancy care I've heard some horror stories. Guess I'm just wondering how likely that is with my setup.

[Sommer]

For clarification I have no interest in keeping a healthy squirrel as a pet. I do not see that as a benefit for anybody involved. But I have enjoyed the benefits of a soft release and a happy healthy wild squirrel who has an edge on nature by living within the outskirts of the human who raised them. There are probably tons of people on here who are way more knowledgeable in this aspect and I'd love to hear it all

[CritterMom]

At one point some years ago, I stumbled on something written some time ago on the internet - it was actually copies of purple mimeographed sheets, to see what I mean by a long time ago. It was a rehabbers guide for all manner of animals, and for ALL of them - foxes, raccoons, coyotes, beavers, fawns - keeping human interaction to a minimum was recommended. Except squirrels! Squirrels they recommended playing, hand wrestling, letting them gallop around and all over you, cuddling - was ALL totally part of the process! They are SO social as babies and adolescents - I love watching the young siblings playing tag and romping and playing jokes on one another in my yard - that it was felt that they desperately needed that activity and if they didn't have siblings to provide it, it was up to the rehabber to do so, and that it was why so many rehabbers loved raising them! I think this is a good policy - I think they need that socialization, even if it comes from a big dorky human and not a sleek brother or sister.

[Sommer]

And I felt like the more the merrier too. But this is the first I've heard of so many stories were a squirrel chooses someone and starts bullying the rest of the family lol It's also the first time with my own family I've ever done this. Don't want to make any mistakes!